Book Reviews & Thoughts

Throwing My Life Away – Liz Czukas

Cute, simple beach read. This is pure vanilla-fluff, as can be expected from Liz Czukas. Mariska is a bit melodramatic for my taste, but I love how she handled this walk down memory lane and made some new memories to go with the old ones. Clown soccer/ninja kites were my favourite. They reminded me of an Improv Everywhere skit!

Synopsis

7 photographs, 2 weeks, an entire life to get back. No problem, right?

After her stepfather accidentally throws away her high school mementos, sentimental Mariska is pretty sure the world is over. That is, until she comes up with a plan. She’s going to recreate her past, with a little help from her friends.

It’s not easy to rally everyone into helping, especially Caine, who couldn’t be less sentimental about anything if he were a park bench. But from a guerilla kite festival to convincing her ex-boyfriend to recreate her lost prom picture, Mariska is willing to do what it takes.

With a little nudging from Caine, Mariska starts to realize she can’t actually get her past back. And maybe that’s okay. Because while she’s so focused on the past, she’s missing out on the present, where her friends are busy having the summer of their lives. And where funny, quiet Caine might just be the future she never knew she wanted.

Review

Cute, simple beach read. This is pure vanilla-fluff, as can be expected from Liz Czukas. Mariska is a bit melodramatic for my taste, but I love how she handled this walk down memory lane and made some new memories to go with the old ones. Clown soccer/ninja kites were my favourite. They reminded me of an Improv Everywhere skit!

Caine was a bit drippy for me, and I felt like the Blake situation was pretty contrived. If the main lesson here is that Mariska is young, should let go of the past, and make the most of the present, then her relationship at the end totally undermines that. Mariska should be going to college and finding a million new doors open! She shouldn’t be clinging to old yearbooks and letting herself peak in high school.

I also felt like the father situation was extremely predictable. Really, you’re going to drive five hours for nothing? I get that he wasn’t really important in Mariska’s life, but you need to give me more than that!